Politics

As Judge Brett Kavanaugh faces a decades-old sexual assault allegation, former President George W. Bush issued an unexpected official statement about the Supreme Court nominee.

Bush clearly believes Kavanaugh’s denials as the statement can be interpreted as nothing less than a full-throated endorsement of his character.

“Laura and I have known and respected Brett Kavanaugh for decades, and we stand by our comments the night Judge Kavanaugh was nominated,” the statement said. “He is a fine husband, father, and friend — and a man of the highest integrity. He will make a superb Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

The accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, alleges a 17-year-old Kavanaugh groped her over her clothes while he was drunk at a high school party.

So far, no one has come forward to corroborate Ford’s allegation. Several of the supposed witnesses identified by Ford have denied having any knowledge of such the alleged sexual assault.

A former classmate of Ford initially claimed the incident “did” happen in a Facebook post, but later deleted the post and admitted she had no first-hand knowledge of the alleged sexual assault.

Senate Judicial Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley has invited Ford to testify publicly or privately to provide more details about her allegation, but she has so far refused. Through her attorney, Ford said she wants a full FBI investigation before she testifies, even though the FBI has already made it clear there is no federal crime alleged for them to investigate.

Grassley is now giving Ford until 10 a.m. on Friday to decide if she will testify on Monday.

“You have stated repeatedly that Dr. Ford wants to tell her story. I sincerely hope that Dr. Ford will accept my invitation to do so, either privately or publicly, on Monday,” Grassley wrote in a letter to Ford’s attorney.